Personal Injury Information Center

State College, Pennsylvania

Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been injured in any kind of accident as a result of another's carelessness or negligence, contact our skilled and caring attorneys at Goodall & Yurchak today. We have significant experience with all kinds of claims for compensation for personal injuries, including wrongful death lawsuits, car accident injuries, slip and falls, and construction site accidents. Our attorneys are experienced litigators with a track record of many successful personal injury verdicts and judgments. You need a lawyer who is willing to fight for the compensation you deserve. For more information about personal injury, review the material below. To discuss your claim with an experienced personal injury lawyer, contact us at Goodall & Yurchak.

Personal Injury - An Overview

Personal injury lawsuits are filed by people (or their representatives) injured due to the negligence of someone else. The injury may be either physical or emotional, and it can arise from a variety of sources or types of conduct. Some of the most common types of personal injury cases include slip and fall, automobile accidents, assaults and battery, medical malpractice, and product liability. In general, the goal of a personal injury action is to determine who was responsible and to compel the responsible party to compensate the injured person for the losses sustained.
If you or someone you know has been injured by the careless actions of another, contact a personal injury attorney at our firm to find out how we can help you preserve your rights.

Personal Injuries from Dangerous or Defective Products

When someone is injured while using a product that was manufactured or marketed in a defective or dangerous way, he or she may be able to recover the resulting damages from the responsible party in a products- liability-based personal injury suit. Products liability law is based on the responsibility of a manufacturer or other provider of goods to compensate users of the goods for injuries caused by defective or dangerous products that it placed into the stream of commerce. The basic idea underlying products liability law is that the companies providing the products are usually in the best position to prevent defective products from entering the marketplace, so if they fail to do so, they should be held accountable. An experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can advise injured persons on whether they may have a claim against a product manufacturer or seller and can help them recover the damages to which they are legally entitled.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents cause the loss of time, property, health and even life. Such accidents occur because of elements including driver error, negligence, manufacturing defects and dangerous weather. No matter what the specific cause or result, a crash can turn a normal day into a prolonged struggle. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer can help you sort out your rights, your options and your future.

Animal Bites

Although animal-attack claims most commonly involve dog bites, many other types of domesticated animals, such as ferrets, cats, and even birds, can also bite humans. Even nondomesticated animals, such as large cats ordinarily found in the wild, but owned by some people as pets have been known to attack children and adults. An animal owner's liability for injuries caused by his or her pet, if any, will vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Slips, Falls, and Other Premises Liability Claims

Premises liability law involves the legal responsibilities of property owners and occupiers to prevent injuries to persons on their property. One of the most common causes of such injuries is a trip or slip and fall, such as on an icy sidewalk, a loose or uneven stair tread, or a piece of debris or spilled liquid on the floor. Property owner liability varies depending on the rules and principles adopted in the jurisdiction where the injury occurred. An experienced personal injury lawyer at our firm can evaluate the strength of your premises liability claim and help you recover damages for lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.

When Personal Injuries Result in Death: Wrongful Death Cases

In general, a wrongful death claim is one in which it is alleged that a person died as a result of another's negligence. The deceased person's surviving relatives, dependents, or beneficiaries may bring suit against the responsible party or parties, seeking monetary damages for their losses. Each state has its own wrongful death law and not every state follows the same guidelines, principles, or rules. A personal injury attorney at our firm can advise you on whether you have a valid wrongful death claim and can help you pursue that claim against the responsible party or parties.

Assault and Battery

In civil court, assault and battery are intentional torts, and can be the basis of a personal injury lawsuit against the person who commits them. Assault and battery are different from other personal injury claims in that the person accused of assault or battery must have acted with the intent to cause a certain result — either fear in the victim or physical contact to the victim's person.

Personal Injury, General Resource Links

US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)The CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of property damage, serious personal injury, or death from consumer products such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's Web site includes recalls and product safety news, information on reporting an unsafe product, and more.

Fact Sheet LibraryNational Safety Council (NSC) fact sheets are resource guides that provide statistics, tips, and suggestions to make life safer. This Web site contains over 80 topics in four categories: agricultural safety, healthy living, environment safety, and road safety.

Tort Law: An OverviewThis Web site, maintained by the Legal Information Institute (LII) at Cornell University Law School, provides general information about tort law, including discussion of intentional torts, negligent torts, and strict liability torts.

Dog Bite LiabilityThis Web site contains an article from the Insurance Information Institute (III) about dog bite liability. The article discusses dog owners' liability, recent developments in state legislation, important court decisions, and other related issues.

State College personal injury attorneys providing skilled personal injury representation in the State College, Pennsylvania area, including University Park, Altoona, Clearfield, Lock Haven, Williamsport, Huntingdon, and Lewistown including Centre County, Blair County, Clearfield County, Lycoming County, Huntingdon County, Clinton County, Mifflin County, Union County and surrounding areas.